EBRD, EU, and Elec’Recyclage Inaugurate State-of-the-Art Waste Recycling Facility in Tunisia

EBRD, EU, and Elec’Recyclage Inaugurate State-of-the-Art Waste Recycling Facility in Tunisia

(IN BRIEF) EBRD, EU, and Elec’Recyclage have inaugurated a new industrial waste recycling facility in Tunisia. Elec’Recyclage Tunisie received a €1.1 million loan from EBRD and an €85,000 grant from the EU for the construction of the facility. The investment allowed Elec’Recyclage to expand its recycling capacity and adopt new technology, increasing its thermal treatment capacity and reducing waste sent to landfill. The company expects a 40% increase in recycled materials sold and a reduction of 2,647 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The EBRD also provided advisory support to implement an Occupational Health and Safety management system. The inauguration was attended by EBRD officials, the EU ambassador to Tunisia, and the French ambassador to Tunisia. Elec’Recyclage specializes in industrial waste recycling and serves over 100 companies in Tunisia. Since 2012, the EBRD has invested over €1.9 billion in 61 projects in Tunisia.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 8-Jun-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a multilateral developmental investment bank, in partnership with the European Union (EU), and Elec’Recyclage, have celebrated the inauguration of a non-hazardous industrial waste recycling facility in Tunisia.

In 2019, Elec’Recyclage Tunisie secured an EBRD loan of up to €1.1 million to finance the construction of an industrial building in Utique, alongside an EU grant of €85,000 for technical assistance.

With the financing, Elec’Recyclage invested in state-of-the-art equipment to expand its recycling capacity, including a 135 m² shredding workshop and a conditioning, shredding, and compacting facility. These additions have increased the company’s thermal treatment capacity from 700 metric tonnes/month to 2,000 metric tonnes/month.

The adoption of new technology has not only enhanced productivity and efficiency in the recycling process but also significantly reduced landfilling and open dumping. Elec’Recyclage has witnessed a 40% increase in the volume of recycled materials sold, from 6,270 tonnes per year in 2017 to an anticipated 8,745 metric tonnes/year by the end of 2023. Moreover, the company is projected to indirectly reduce its CO2 emissions by 2,647 tonnes per year by the end of 2023.

In addition to financing, Elec’Recyclage received business advisory support from the EBRD to implement an Occupational Health and Safety management system (OHS) and obtain ISO 45001 accreditation. This achievement further enhances the company’s competitiveness by expanding market access.

The investment has also led to improved working conditions for Elec’Recyclage’s 100 employees, including 35 women, through reduced noise levels and more efficient workflows.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Jürgen Rigterink, First Vice President and Head of the Client Services Group at the EBRD, Nodira Mansurova, EBRD Head of Tunisia, Marcus Cornaro, EU Ambassador to Tunisia, and André Parant, French Ambassador to Tunisia.

Jürgen Rigterink commented:  “We are very proud to inaugurate this facility with our partners Elec’Recyclage and the EU. This modern facility has helped to increase recycling capacity through greener and more energy-efficient operations, while enhancing the working environment of its employees. We are delighted to be able to support the company with both financing and business advice to boost its competitiveness and widen its markets!”

Marcus Cornaro, Ambassador of the EU in Tunisia, added: “As a major actor of the global transition agenda, especially since its communication entitled ‘The European Green Deal’, the EU has set out a new growth strategy aimed at protecting, conserving and enhancing the Union’s natural capital, and to protect the health and well-being of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts. This upgraded facility is an encouraging illustration of the economic and environment benefits that can derive from supporting actions in the circular economy at global level. The EU remains committed to support such initiatives as part of its sustainable growth agenda with Tunisia.”

Elec’Recyclage is a Tunisian company specializing in industrial waste recycling, providing waste-handling solutions to over 100 companies in Tunisia. The company also exports sorted waste products to foreign customers for further processing.

Since commencing operations in Tunisia in 2012, the EBRD has invested over €1.9 billion in 61 projects across various sectors, contributing to the country’s private and public sectors.

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SOURCE: EBRD